Nino may not be world’s shortest man for long

NEW YORK, NY – Guinness has announced the new world’s shortest man.

But his reign may not last long as a teen who is shorter and will soon turn 18.

Guinness World Records said the new world’s shortest man as 2 ft 3.46 in (70.21 cm) Edward Niño Hernandez from Colombia who is featured in the new Guinness World Records 2011 book out on September 15th (16th in the UK).

Edward Hernandez, who is commonly referred to as Niño (meaning child), inherits the title from China’s He Pingping, who sadly passed away in March.

Niño currently lives in Bogota with his parents and four brothers who all work in their family run business making pajamas. His hobbies include playing soccer and dancing to Reggaeton, a popular Latin American dance.

The newly crowned record holder said: “I am very happy to be recognized as the shortest man in the world. Every person is different and unique. The more unusual you are the more you should fight and work harder.”

Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said: “He Pingping’s death resonated around the world and it wasn’t long before our search for a new shortest man revealed Niño from Colombia. What’s remarkable is that this little dancer is a whole 4 cm (2 in) shorter than Pingping — it’s crazy to think that a human being could get any shorter. Of course, the question is will Niño still have the record by Christmas? With 17-year-old Khagendra waiting in the wings, there’s a good chance that Niño will only hold the record for a few more weeks.”

It is expected that Niño will hold on to the title of world’s shortest man for just one more month. The current shortest teenager, Nepal’s Khagendra Thapa Magar, will turn 18 on October 14th, and at last measurement was 2 ft 1.8 in tall; 2 inches shorter than Niño.